The mind-reading artifact
by vestwearer
Summary: Myka touches an artifact and can hear thoughts. Guess who Helena is thinking about?


"OK, you know the TV show The X Files?" Claudia started her briefing.

"Yeah." Myka smiled.

"I've seen a few episodes, yes," H.G. added.

"Isn't it great!? I mean it's kinda old and all but some of the things they thought of, especially in the later seasons are _so_ cool! _And_ you remind me of Scully!"

The last comment was addressed to Myka, who blushed.

"Really?"

"I can see that as well," Helena agreed.

"I love this artifact! It's frakkin' awesome!"

Myka and Helena exchanged an amused look, which unfortunately didn't go unnoticed by Claudia.

"OMG Myka why didn't you stop me!? I promised Artie I could be professional while handling this briefing and here I am, totally geeking out."

"Claudia dear, we like you just the way you are," Helena assured her. "But maybe you could proceed to tell us what's so 'frakkin' awesome' about this artifact, hm?"

"Uhm… thanks. Eh. I mean uh yeah the case… It seems like the kid who played Gibson had this really great imagination, so much so that he acquired the ability to read thoughts, just like his character could do."

"Wow."

"Indeed."

"Yes, but then his ability turned the glasses he wore on the show into an artifact, and it seems like someone recently bought them on eBay."

/

It was Helena's first week back as an active agent. One day she'd simply shown up on the Bed and Breakfast's front doorstep, escorted by Mrs. Frederic, with no explanation other than "I was running, now I'm back. If you'll have me."

A couple of days later came the ping they were now following up on. The unwitting artifact buyer lived in Orlando, Florida, and Myka and Helena were sent there to investigate. Pete had muttered something about the other agents 'trip to the sun' being unfair, but that he would 'let it go' because he and Steve were on another case. Myka however suspected that her partner knew about her feelings for Helena - and secretly wished for them to get together on the trip.

/

The hotel room is nice, at least by Warehouse budget standards, but relatively small. It has two single beds, two bedside tables with a lamp on each one, and… nothing else except for a bathroom.

Myka picks one of the beds, sits down on it and starts to go through the file.

"Darling, you really are all work and no play, aren't you?" Helena asks with a smirk.

"Uh… well I thought it best we got started… we don't want people running around knowing what everyone is thinking, do we?"

"I don't know. I for one have always found the concept rather intriguing."

"Umm yes, so have I… But think about the consequences! What if someone violent finds out they've been lied to? Not to mention all these little things you keep to yourself to spare your family and friends from getting hurt."

"Yes I suppose you're right," Helena agrees with a sigh.

/

They soon find themselves looking through the office belonging to the professor who bought the glasses. Because of course it was a professor who bought them. Myka can almost hear the teasing voices of her old tormentors in her head… _Professors are such nerds! Always with their books and their glasses, just like that dork Myka Bering._ Well, not hearing those kinds of thoughts was probably a good thing. But then again, that was the way her old classmates actually spoke. Maybe, just maybe, their thoughts were more along the line of _I wish I was that smart… _That would've been good to hear back then. And just like that, Myka finds the artifact.

She is about to bag it, she really is, but the thought of mind reading… That is just one of those "if I could have one superpower"-opportunities. _Superpower, huh?_ she thinks to herself. Pete and his fascination with comics are obviously getting to her. Anyway… She knows it isn't right, and it's certainly not like her to do something out of protocol, but it feels oh so appealing to get some things confirmed. Myka thinks about her mental check-list: Helena is back – OK – they are back to being friends – OK – Helena has feelings for her – OK? She sees her chance to find out, and takes it. Discreetly one of her purple gloves is slid off; she touches the glasses and puts them in her bag.

The reward is almost immediate.

_Focus, Helena, focus. My God why is she wearing that white see through shirt? I swear it will be the death of me._

So this was a good idea. Myka holds her breath as the thought sinks in. H.G. Wells is checking her out. _Helena_ is checking her out. She figures she should probably neutralize the artifact, but then again… maybe just a bit longer. For research.

… _have to stop staring. She will notice. So perceptive._

Myka feels her heart rate speed up. Better act normal so that Helena doesn't suspect anything. But… a little fun can't hurt, can it? She stretches. Yep. Myka stretches.

_What is she doing!? I… oh… _

Helena's gaze follows her every move. Then Myka realizes where they are and decides it's probably best to go somewhere else. Somewhere private.

"It doesn't look like the artifact is here. Maybe we should go back to the hotel and go through the notes again?"

_Lips. Lips. Myka's lips. Lips._

It's a really good thing Myka has found the artifact because working right now… well that would be hard.

… _red, soft, wet…_

"Helena?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think?"

_Oh no she has been talking this whole time hasn't she? What do I do? Agree? Yes, Myka has probably said something highly intelligent, as usual._

"Yes, let's do that."

/

Since the day is warm (they are, after all, in Florida) and the hotel is close by, they agree to walk there.

They walk in silence, but Helena's mind is never silent and Myka is more than happy to listen in.

_Should I tell her how I feel? No. I don't even know if she likes women… but I _have_ caught her watching me with that look in her eyes… Is sexual preference even something you can ask a friend about nowadays? Bloody hell, when have I ever cared about what is proper to ask?_

Myka smiles. No, being proper has never been Helena's strongest suit. That is one of the things Myka treasures about her.

… _and what do I tell her if she asks why I asked? "Well I was just curious." Really Helena pull yourself together. _

_I want to smell her hair._

Myka ponders the idea of just grabbing Helena and kiss her right there. It is certainly appealing. _Immensely_ appealing. But… she wants to hear more. And talking about the whole 'being gay thing' is something Myka has wanted to do with Helena for a long time. It just hasn't happened. Probably because (as she now knows) neither of them finds it an easy subject to bring up. Maybe if she can read Helena's mind while they talk… hear every thought before it's been censored, and stir the conversation away from awkwardness…? _Yes._ Now, is there a way she can come out to Helena without revealing the bit about hearing her thoughts? Maybe by mentioning something about Dana Scully? The case is after all about The X Files; bringing Scully up might not be too weird.

A buzzing noise puts the question off for the moment, and she motions Helena towards a bench while pulling her Farnsworth out of her bag.

Claudia wants a case update. "OK, I can do that," Myka tells herself. She starts to recap what they have done so far, careful not to let out the kind of major detail about having found the artifact already. Then her thoughts gets sort of side tracked because…

_I love the way she interacts with Claudia. The way she cares and mentors, but never in a diminishing or patronizing way… Oh dear, I'm in deep._

"Myka are you alright? You seem a bit distracted?" Claudia asks.

_Myka naked._

"Hnnnh yeah Claudia. I'm fine! Gotta go!"

So, focusing on the case is definitely not going to work anymore. The case, right, she has already found the artifact. The case is practically over. Good. But Helena doesn't know that yet.

/

When they get back to the hotel room, Myka slumps down on her bed and picks up a folder. She doesn't really intend to read anything but having her hands occupied feels like a good thing. Helena sits down beside her and grabs some papers as well.

Talking is going to be hard, Myka realizes. But then again, Helena seems mildly distracted and might not notice her currently not-so-sharp mind.

"It reminds me of the work we do… The X Files I mean… not the aliens of course but you know, government agents handling weird stuff."

"Yes, I suppose it does."

Myka takes a deep breath. Now or never.

"Growing up, I always admired Scully… Such a great character; smart, confident, not accepting the men around her to rule her life… I might have had a small crush on her."

_A crush? If I am right about this modern day terminology…_

"I agree. There really need to be more characters like her in popular media. I had of course hoped that by now the patriarchy would be nothing but a memory…" Helena winks to relieve the seriousness of her comment and Myka stifles a laugh.

_Myka had a crush on a woman. What does this mean?_

"When you said crush… did you mean… you fancied her? You find women attractive?"

_I am going to faint. How very Victorian._

"Yes. I do."

Helena doesn't look like she is going to faint. In fact, her eyes are sparkling.

_She is sitting so close. Maybe if I were to reach out for that pen and accidentally brush my fingers against her hand… then I might get some inclination as to how she feels about me?_

"Why don't you try that and find out?"

"What!?"

Helena sounds horrified. Myka blushes and pulls the glasses out of her bag.

"I might have touched the artifact."

Squeaking is not a thing Helena would ever admit to doing, but the sound that escapes from her throat when she understands the full impact of what Myka is telling her sounds… like a squeak. She is suddenly very pale.

"You can hear my… you heard… what did you- … how long?"

_Did she get the part about how I cannot stop picturing my hand inside her trousers?_

"Oh my God!" Myka breathes, as Helena realizes her slipup and covers her face with her hands.

_At least she hasn't fled._

"Of course I haven't fled."

_I am not thinking. No thoughts. No thoughts. No thoughts._

"Look, I'm sorry for intruding on your private thoughts… but … I'm not sorry about what I heard."

Helena looks up then, intrigued.

"I think it's time to neutralize these…" They both look away as Myka drops the glasses in the neutralization bag. As soon as the sparks has died down, their eyes meet and the bag is thrown into a corner. Before Helena has a chance to react, Myka is kissing her.


End file.
